Method, apparatus and system for transparent tracking of worker performance

Abstract

A method, system and device are provided that collect and provide information related to worker productivity. The goods may be or include consumer products, commodities, equipment, food, food products, agricultural supplies and agricultural products. A label may be employed that includes a display screen, a bar code, a quick response code, an RFID chip and/or a radio frequency or photonic communications device to aid tracking of accomplished piecework and worker behavior. The worker may confirm documentation of piecework credit by both displays of piecework counts by the badge and by accessing a database server.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising: a. a housing; and b. a counter module coupled to the housing, the counter module comprising a wireless communications circuit, a memory element coupled and a visual display module, the wireless communications circuit adapted to receive incremental measurements of accomplished work as provided within electromagnetic wave signals, the memory element adapted to record a work performance value derived from at least one electromagnetic wave signal, and the visual display module adapted to display a representation of the work performance value as stored by the memory element. 
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the display module further comprises a radio frequency identification device (“RFID”) and the RFID is communicatively coupled with the visual display module and the memory element. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the counter module further comprises an antenna coupled with a battery, the battery coupled with the visual display module and the memory element, the battery adapted to provide electrical energy to the memory element and the visual display module, and the antenna adapted to receive electromagnetic wave energy and to deliver electrical power derived from the electromagnetic wave energy to the battery. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a visual badge identifier is presented on the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the visual badge identifier is machine-readable. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the visual badge identifier is a bar code. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the memory element further comprises a first badge identifier and the memory element is bi-directionally communicatively coupled with the wireless communications circuit, whereby the apparatus is adapted to broadcast the first badge identifier. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein a second badge identifier is presented on the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first badge identifier and the second badge identifier comprise an identical identification pattern. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the second badge identifier is machine-readable. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the second badge identifier is a bar code. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an arithmetic logic circuit coupled with the wireless communications circuit, the arithmetic logic circuit adapted to direct the memory element to increment the work performance value upon receipt of an externally sourced signal. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the memory element further comprises a worker identifier and the memory element is bi-directionally communicatively coupled with the wireless communications circuit, whereby the apparatus is adapted to broadcast the first badge identifier and the worker identifier. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the display module further comprises a radio frequency identification device (“RFID”) and the RFID is bi-directionally communicatively coupled with the visual display module and the memory element. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the memory element further comprises a time date stamp, the time date stamp related to a receipt by the apparatus of a specific incremental measurement of accomplished work 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a real time clock coupled with the memory element, wherein the real time clock provides the time date stamp. 
     
     
         17 . A system comprising: a. A database system adapted to store a work performance value and associate the work performance value with an identifier; b. A badge comprising a means to present the identifier; and c. A machine reader, the machine reader coupled with the database system and adapted to: i. associate an incremental work value with the identifier; and ii. communicate the incremental work value in association with the identifier to the database system. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the badge comprises an RFID device adapted to communicate the identifier to the machine reader. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the identifier uniquely identifies the badge to the database system. 
     
     
         20 . A method comprising: a. Providing an apparatus to a worker, the apparatus comprising: i. a housing; and ii. a counter module coupled to the housing, the counter module comprising a wireless communications circuit, a memory element coupled and a visual display module, the wireless communications circuit adapted to receive incremental measurements of accomplished work as provided within electromagnetic wave signals, the memory element adapted to record a work performance value derived from at least one electromagnetic wave signal, and the visual display module adapted to display a representation of the work performance value as stored by the memory element. b. transmitting the at least one electromagnetic wave signal comprising an incremental measurement of accomplished work, whereby the apparatus increments the work performance value upon receipt of the incremental measurement of accomplished work and displays the resultant work performance value via the visual display module.